Organophosphonate-Functionalized Lanthanopolyoxomolybdate: Synthesis, Characterization, Magnetism, Luminescence, and Catalysis of H2O2-Based Thioether Oxidation.

A novel class of organophosphonate-based polyoxomolybdate derivatives, K4H5[Ln3(H2O)14{(Mo8O24)(O3PCH2COO)3}2]·23H2O (Ln = Gd (1Gd), Tb (2Tb), Dy (3Dy)), have been fully investigated by a few characterization methods such as single-crystal X-ray crystallography, XRPD, elemental analysis, TGA, and IR spectra. The magnetic properties of 1Gd, 2Tb, and 3Dy were investigated, as well as the solid-state luminescence properties of 2Tb and 3Dy. The catalysis properties of 1Gd, 2Tb, and 3Dy for thioether oxidization have been investigated using hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) as an oxidant. The catalysis study demonstrated the efficient and selective conversion of various thioethers to their corresponding sulfones in excellent yields.